Staff Reports
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie showed distinct disinterest in taking media questions during his recent appearance at a brewery in Exeter, New Hampshire, seemingly contradicting his “tell it like it is” campaign theme. This isn’t the first time the 61-year-old has avoided the spotlight, having skipped out on appearing in the media-heavy spin room at three out of four Republican primary debates held this year.
Chris Christie’s time, temper grows short in New Hampshire https://t.co/nCxPGp2oUA pic.twitter.com/0SYeLJTsLo
— New York Post (@nypost) December 25, 2023
It appears that Christie’s attempt at flying under the radar may not be serving him well, as he trails far behind in the New Hampshire polls, garnering a mere 10.5% support, while Donald Trump leads at 46.3% and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley follows at 24.8%.
The lackluster support for Christie was evident at the event in Exeter, as most attendees expressed lukewarm enthusiasm for the ex-governor or hinted at other preferred candidates. Even those sympathetic to Christie’s “no-BS image” did not seem fully convinced, with one voter stating he wished Christie would “gain some momentum.”
Another registered Democrat gave Christie credit for “saying the things that have to be said,” but their willingness to vote for him still hung in the balance. In short, the enthusiasm for Christie was nearly as absent as his willingness to engage with the press.
Despite his attempts to position himself as the top anti-Trump candidate and his call for Democrats to consider supporting him in the New Hampshire primary, Christie seems to be facing an uphill battle.
With the deadline for party registration already passed, his hope now rests primarily on convincing independents or unaffiliated voters to cast their ballots his way. Whether Christie can turn the tides in his favor in the short time leading up to the primary remains to be seen, but the prospects aren’t looking particularly sunny for the former governor.
